such a great day...stupid valve stem...

[TexZan]

So I walk into the garage on this 65-degree, sunny day during the kids' naptime. First drive after returning from the deployment. The cover comes off, the battery gets connected and I walk around the back and see the right-rear tire completely flat. DOH! I'm not sure how long it's been like that but I know I can't get the jack back there because I wedged it WAAAAY into the corner so the kids wouldn't ding it. Luckily my neighbor has a compressor with a long hose that I could squeeze in to inflate the tire enough to roll it out into the driveway. It's the valve stem...leaking big time...well, not bad enough to warrant putting on the spare yet. My fun drive turned into a drive to the local tire shop only to hear them say, when I asked how long it would take, "It'll be a while." Okay, I'll take off the wheel and bring it in tomorrow...how much? $25. What?! For a freaking valve stem? No thanks. "Well there's a lot of labor involved." A lot of labor? Really? I called bulls@#$t. He didn't want my business. He didn't get it. That's more than a mount and balance at a lot of places. I guess I'll look somewhere else tomorrow. At least she fired up first try and ran nice and smooth (except for the flatspot on the tire). It's good to drop the top again!

97 2.8 Arctic Silver - Tanin Red interior with wood console - black top
Whalen Shift Machine, polished - Type II windscreen (non roll-hoops) - Bilstein HD shocks/struts
Axxis Metal Master pads - Brembo rotors - Doug Whalen seat bushings
Passenger Eject (unfortunately non-functional) - OEM Passenger Airbag Disable switch
Polk Audio all around - Blaupunkt PA amps - LeatherZ Mark II armrest - Strong Strut Trio - AUX input via tapedeck

[@ MinnMark]

MinnMark
'00 2.3 Oxford Green/Tan/Tan
And yes, I drive my car in the snowy winter!

[Bob2.8]

That must be some valve stem. I just had one replaced for just under $7. Better to have it happen at home though.

[Doug W.]

I had a leaking TPMS stem on my new MINI when I first bought it.
Long story short, I aired it up and drove 40 miles to the nearest Discount Tire, where they popped a new seal kit on the pressure sensor for me; no charge!

Good thing I had runflats; pressure was down to nothing by the time I got to the store.

[TexZan]

97 2.8 Arctic Silver - Tanin Red interior with wood console - black top
Whalen Shift Machine, polished - Type II windscreen (non roll-hoops) - Bilstein HD shocks/struts
Axxis Metal Master pads - Brembo rotors - Doug Whalen seat bushings
Passenger Eject (unfortunately non-functional) - OEM Passenger Airbag Disable switch
Polk Audio all around - Blaupunkt PA amps - LeatherZ Mark II armrest - Strong Strut Trio - AUX input via tapedeck

[TexZan]

97 2.8 Arctic Silver - Tanin Red interior with wood console - black top
Whalen Shift Machine, polished - Type II windscreen (non roll-hoops) - Bilstein HD shocks/struts
Axxis Metal Master pads - Brembo rotors - Doug Whalen seat bushings
Passenger Eject (unfortunately non-functional) - OEM Passenger Airbag Disable switch
Polk Audio all around - Blaupunkt PA amps - LeatherZ Mark II armrest - Strong Strut Trio - AUX input via tapedeck

[z3RIFFRAFF]

They're not to tough to do if you can break the bead on it.

Welcome home!

I'd keep playing! I don't think the heavy stuff will be coming down for quite a while!

z3RIFFRAFF

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------